OK, so this is a bit overdue (seeing as it’s June already), but, well, it was a little busy …

Here are the contents of my May Sampler:

It was pretty awesome, indeed. Lots of cool pins — from Art School Dropout and Bread and Badger — and magnets and other useful stuff all around.

The highlights:

Bicycle seat cover from Lilybug.

What a great idea! And a great sock monkey print. This was probably my favorite thing … and it will be darn useful too. I just got a new (used) bike and it fits the bill. Not that it rains a whole lot here, but well, my neighborhood has lots of really strong sprinklers. But it is fun and functional, and I really like that.

Pendant (ceramic, I think?) from Crye’s Creations.

This was quite lovely indeed. Great colors.

Knit bracelet from Leethal.

Nice colors, and it fit nicely. And it’s not scratchy. But there are some seriously cool-looking hats and knit goods over at Leethal, so check that out.

 
Yarn sample from Third Floor Fibers (and the tag).

I am always a sucker for handspun yarn. But I especially liked the tag on this sample because the suggestions for the mini skein were funny. My personal favorite was “Knit a scarf for your cat.” Because my cats would hate that. “Tie a sibling to a tree” (bottom row, left) was also pretty hysterical.

 
Set of two cards from Andy Pratt Design.

I love the jolly orange giant. Andy has a lot of brightly colored, fun prints at his shop. And the drawings are excellent.

Holy Crap card from Ella Studio.

OK, I know I can be crass. Which is why I like this card. Definitely a lot of non-PG cards at Ella Studio. Kind of my style for when I want to be really snarky. I just thinking getting a super-elegant looking card that says “Holy Crap!” is hysterical. Or maybe that’s just me.

That’s all for this edition!

Amy over at the wonderful online boutique PurplePinkandOrange is closing her doors.

The shop is closing at the end of May, and there’s a massive sale. Here’s a sampling of the awesome stuff you can find:

Clockwise, from top left: Bad Day Print by Helena Garcia; Cherry Blossom glass coasters by PurplePinkandOrange; Mint Truffle necklace by Cake Box Jewelry; and Flower Appliqued wallet by Kitty Empire.

There are also lots of other things at the store, from bath & body goods to home accessories to bags and wallets to wearables. Do take a look!

And best of luck to Amy in her other endeavors!

You like to win free stuff, don’t you?

How about really awesome free stuff made by some wonderful indie businesses?

Then joining the Happily Handmade Giveaway is probably right up your alley.

If you enter the giveaway (which you can do at 80 fine indie shops), you will get the chance to win some wicked gift baskets culled from the donations of the 80 sponsors. Rosebud Designs is a sponsor, and an entry point.

Click on the logo below to enter the giveaway … and (shameless plug!) you can sign up for the Rosebud Designs newsletter, too.

There are lots of fabulous indie stores out there and many directories and websites dedicated to helping you find them.

But what about indie shops that also offer you fabulous discounts?

That’s the purpose of the Totally Indie Coupons, a set of coupons jam-packed with all sorts of discounts at great stores. There are different rounds of coupons, and only a set number of stores are able to participate in each round.

The only way to get these coupons is to shop at participating stores, which usually include them with orders.

Rosebud Designs is a participating store for this round. You can also check out other participating stores by clicking the logo: